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The Irish political establishment will no doubt use its presidency of the EU to paint a rosy picture of a ‘social' European Union. But such a picture will jar dramatically with the reality of an EU that is the driving force in the austerity destroying lives in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.

The theatrical release of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is situated between important events and anniversaries. This past 22 September marked the 150th anniversary of the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation, 6 November saw the re-election of the first black president, Barack Obama, to a second term and 1 January, 2013 is the 150th anniversary of the final implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation.

So, it turns out Bob Geldoff, Bono, and countless charity organisations have been wrong this whole time. Making poverty history doesn't require the generosity of all, just the mountains of cash hoarded by the top 100 richest people in the world.

The household tax was fought to a standstill by a campaign which involved perhaps 20,000 - 30,000 people taking some kind of action linked to 700,000 people who simply didn't register and didn't pay.

Savita Halappanavar’s death prompted the vast majority of ordinary women and men in this country to ask the same question as Savita’s husband Praveen: “How can this happen in a country like Ireland in the 21st century?”

Now is an ideal time to take stock of the battle against the Household Tax in 2012 and learn some of the lessons from this historic struggle.

Turmoil over the issue of the flying of the union flag has now continued across Northern Ireland for six weeks. The protests, blocking of roads and frequent rioting began on 3 December when Belfast City Council voted to fly the flag over City Hall on seventeen “designated days” only rather than 365 days a year. Since then there have been protests almost every day-including a small protest on Christmas Day itself.

Trade unions have to take a stand against the property tax. This is an austerity tax being brought in for no other reason than to fund the ongoing bailout of bondholders . It will tip thousands of families into poverty. How can the unions, as representative organisations for workers, stay silent about that?

AC Milan midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng took his own stand against racism on Thursday 3rd January when he refused to play on after receiving racist abuse from Pro Patria fans.

The boast by Enda Kenny that Ireland’s presidency of the European council is one of “a country of recovery driving a recovery across Europe” is empty rhetoric. Working and middle class people are not feeling Kenny’s ‘recovery’ , with 2012 marking the fifth year of domestic recession in Ireland and a return to recession in the eurozone.